Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Tuesday Top 10: Favorite Horror-Themed Songs

Day of the Woman's thought-provoking post yesterday on the intersection between music and horror has put me in a musical state of mind. And so, for today's Tuesday Top 10, I've compiled my all-time favorite horror-themed songs. Now, some of these tunes are scary, and others are just steeped in the horror milieu. So scariness was not a requirement. Rather, these are the top songs that come to my mind in connection with the genre I adore so much...

10. The Time WarpWhat would the list be without a number from the greatest horror musical of them all. Just a fun, anthemic song that epitomizes what The Rocky Horror Picture Show is all about, and why it has gained such an infectious fan following. Plus, I just love Magenta's Marlene Dietrich impression.

9. Black SabbathThe title song of Black Sabbath's self-titled first album is a genuinely terrifying song. Just listening to Ozzy wail, "Oh no, no, please, God help me!" gives me goosebumps. A sinister song that was probably partly to blame for legions of parents freaking out over their kids listening to this band.

8. ThrillerHow could I not include Michael Jackson's pop ode to zombie culture? Plus, the video was even directed by John Landis. Big-time extra points for the rockin' appearance of the one and only Vincent Price, delivering perhaps the greatest rap of all time. "The funk of 40,000 years," indeed. V-Price could spit mad lyrics, yo.

7. Werewolves of LondonGod bless Warren Zevon. This staple of 1980s classic rock radio is the kind of song you just can't get out of your head. Plus, you've got major references to Lon Chaney Jr. and Sr., and the title itself is Universal-inspired. I'll never give up hope of one day seeing a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vick's. Hopefully, his hair will be perfect.

6. The Thing That Should Not BeMetallica be some horror freaks, with a particular obsession with the work of H.P. Lovecraft. And this song is their magnum opus to the Cthulhu mythos, creepy as hell and grim in the extreme. In fact, I recommend you check out this excellent fan video created for the song--pointed out to me by the Vault's resident Lovecraft expert, RayRay.

5. GhostbustersRumor has it that Ivan Reitman wanted Huey Lewis & The News to record the title song for his movie, but when they turned him down, he brought in smooth jazz crooner Ray Parker Jr. and got him to basically record a Huey Lewis-style song. Whatever the case may be, there is probably no one born between 1970 and 1980 who doesn't know all the lyrics by heart...

4. Surfin' DeadGod damn, but this is a great song by The Cramps, featured prominently in the soundtrack to The Return of the Living Dead. In fact, that flick is filled to the brim with rockin' horror tunes, so I figured I'd limit it to just one. In reality, I could probably fill this entire list with them if I wanted to.

3. Don't Fear the ReaperSuch bleak subject matter for such a mellow-sounding song! Blue Oyster Cult's biggest hit pops up in the original Halloween, and of course was also the opening theme to the miniseries of Stephen King's The Stand. Forty-thousand men and women every day...

2. The Monster MashSo corny, but so much damn fun. Who doesn't love Bobby "Boris" Pickett's iconic novelty smash of the 1960s. A surf-tinged tune that conjures up all the innocent fun of the "monster kid" era. I can play this one for my kids 20 times in a row, and they'll still keep asking for it. In fact, it would've been very easy to slap this one up at number one. But I had to be brutally honest with myself and pick my true favorite...

1. This Is HalloweenIt figures that Danny Elfman, formerly of Oingo Boingo, would come up with this deliciously eery theme song for Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. The song is a perfect homage to childhood terrors, and sets the scene excellently for Burton's unique vision. This one always reminds me of what it's like to be a kid hiding under the covers from vampires... Plus, Marilyn Manson also did an awesome cover of it!

I know you missed Evil Dead the Musical, so I have to throw these out there: Look Who's Evil Now, All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons and Do the Necronomicon are all awesome songs!! I'll loan you the CD one of these days!

I hate to leave your least favourite kind of comment, but I've always really enjoyed stuff by Goblin. Sure their stuff isn't as catchy or radio-friendly as everything else here, but it's always awesome regardless. Especially their work for Tenebre and Phenomena.

Hey B-Sol I have been reading your blog for a while but this is my first comment. Just wanted to tell you this blog is awesome keep up the good work. I had to comment on this post today because i am a dj for a living and also a self proclaimed horror fanatic haha and this list is amazingThanksCurrently watching The Revenge Of Frankenstein (1958)

Superlative list! Black Sabbath, Metallica, AND Warren Zevon all at once! I do believe I have the vapors.....

....if only Led Zeppellin had a horror themed song........

Mr. JPElliot does have a point about Rob Zombie. However, if so, then about every thrd Iron Maiden song and about all of Slayer's songs deserve consideration. In light of this, you have done well, my man.

And in parting, as good as The Time Warp is, I was always partial to Sweet Transvestive. I see you've met my faithful handyman...he's a bit brought down because when you rang he thought you were the Candyman...

Ooh--very nice list! I can't argue with any of them, but if you expand the list to twenty or twenty-five, I'd like to nominate 'Pet Semetary' by the Ramones, 'He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask)' by Alice Cooper, and, of course, the creepiest song ever written--'Every Step You Take' by the Police.

Time Warp should most definetly be higher, but much like others on here, i'm a RHPS whore, i got a tattoo, and i dress up as Frank. Deciding between that and Sweet Transvestite is a tough call. It may be more sci fi oriented but Science Fiction Double Feature is also awesome.

I'm not talking about the use of horror imagery to convey some kind of social or political message or whatever (like Skyhooks' "Horror Movie") but ones that deal with monsters and such, with no need for metaphor. Just good ol' horror fun.

2) The songs have to be by bands that are horror-themed themselves. Ones that revel in the aforementioned type of music. Sure Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, et. al, make use of horror imagery, but that's not what I was going for.

Anyway, here's the tracklist I conjured up last year. Note, I kinda cheated on my criteria with a few of them:

Which horror film *should* be remade?

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I've been fascinated with horror ever since my parents let me watch The Exorcist at 8 years old (what were they thinking??) and I ran up to my bed screaming when Linda Blair's eyes rolled into the back of her head.Although it often gets a bad rap from "mainstream" critics and audiences alike, horror has often been the most creative and vibrant movie genre of all, from Nosferatu to Saw. Some of the finest motion pictures ever made are part of the horror genre, including Frankenstein, Psycho, The Shining and my personal all-time favorite, George Romero's Dawn of the Dead.This blog is the culmination of my 25-year love affair with all things blood and guts--so check back here often for news and opinion on the world of horror. And remember...